Many types of plumbing tools are known which use a flexible cable or “snake”. Such tools are used by selectively advancing or extending the cable from the tool into a drain or piping system which is clogged. The cable is retracted and typically stored in the tool by winding the cable about a rotatable drum within the tool.
It is often desirable to view the cable and/or drum, particularly during use of the tool. However, due to rotation of the drum and movement of the cable as it is wound about the drum, such components are typically housed within an enclosure to contain water and/or debris carried from the drain or clogged piping system, and thereby prevent the water/debris from contacting an operator. Such enclosures obscure drum and cable and preclude the operator from viewing such.
Accordingly, due to these and other concerns, a need exists for drum type plumbing tools that enable visual inspection of their drums and cables, while also shielding an operator from contact with water/debris carried from a drain or other site.